The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-10-11
raiRrv YEARS AGO AND now.

W
calm and dispassionate consideration Of
the difference between The day OF Sc
c~ession and this. We believe that al
the time referred to by our distinguished
friend the States officers would not long
have remained in the jail, but the tac'
that there has been no expression OF
opposition TO the decree Of the law is
sign that the popular intelligence appre'
cistes the difference between the circum-
stances of the snte-wsr period and
this; and though the sentimental
mind may love TO contemplate the
glories Of the past, the practical
mind is forced 10 accept the rule OF
the present, especially when il has been
written upon the lives OF men In
The living characters OF war, incised
upon onr with the chisel
and pinned TO the law with the bayonet.
Shall we attempt to resurrect the senti-
ments Of the conquered past in a vain
attempt to apply them to the present
timey
The average man will easily satisfy
himself of the folly of 3 policy that brings
the State 10 the bar Of n Federal court
merely TO be Inundated.
But he who grsvely ponders on The
present situation will demand ofthe poll
ticians something more than mere abuse
of the United States Supreme Court to
Justify the position taken by the States
officers.
II Judge Bond is wrong, let us have
his opinion reviewed and criticised as a
legal document.
Thus far we have heard only the de-
nunciation of him and of the United
States Supreme Court.
II. as claimed, he is the enemy OF the
State, what, then, was Chief Justice Mar
shall, whose opinion in 3 similar case
Bond followed, and who, in the history
Of the law, has been held as the judicial
cornerstone Of that section OF our ma
tional house that represents the citadel 81
Il liberty: If there is any reason in the
denuncistion of the opinion, let us have II
applied, so that there is no excuse in q
personality for a distortion OF The prin-
ciple.
One of the most salient features in the
opinion is the fact that the States attor-
news did not even hint that the acts OF
Assembly which they attempted to en-
force were constitutional. Those laws,
therefore, stand officially admitted to be
unconstitutional, and the States officers
proposed TO enforce them in the face OF
OF their oath to support the Constitution
Of the United States and upon the plea
that their Interpretation OF the Constitu-
ton is the only correct one because they
represent the sovereignty Of the State.
Let us return to the purely practical
consideration Of the situation and ask,
what is to be the result Of such 4 policy
We stated long ago that such a course
would evidently bring the officers 10
prison, and We state now that there can,
in common sense, be but one way for
them to get out, and that is to pay their
fines; and in that case the whole position
taken in this matter will be reduced TO
an absurdity, for whatever the people
may think Of the martyrdom al election
time. the moment those fines are paid
they will ask whether that is the way
martyrs do nowadays, for in truth we
have learned that the msityr does not
beg of from the penalty Of his yirtuous
principles, but rather desires TO prove his
faith at the stake.
as we suppose the D,potca is giving
the lead to the popular appeal, we note
again from its columns that this act Of
the Federal court will drive the State
" itpNuiatiShs
What effect will al act repudisting the
debt have 1t might make some TEN
porary political capital for those who
believe that q degree OF Mahoneism,
which Malone himself rejects, is the
best sslye for the Democratic troubles
caused by Mahoneism, worse Mshoneised
in our own party. But it would not
phase the policy Of the creditors to re-
habilitate those coupons, and all the sem
timent organized on denuncistions OF
the Supreme Court will not prevent tax
payers from using them.
You cannot organize a popular senti-
ment on the awful mistake of the politi-
clans, especially when it costs 80 per
cent. on the dollar TO do ii.
If your taxpayer is half as poor as
those make him out 10 be who want 10
repudiate the debt, he will use a coupon
sooner than pay that 90 per cent. pre-
MUM to sentiment and the curious part
about it is that they expect anything